Aristide leaves Jamaica for South Africa
Monday, May 31, 2004
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Former Haitian
president Jean-Bertrand Aristide left Jamaica on Sunday for what he said would
be his "temporary home" in South Africa.
Local reporters here said Aristide, his wife and two daughters left the
Caribbean island in a private jet supplied by the South African government of
President Thabo Mbeki. "After two visits to
South Africa, it will now be our temporary home until we are back in Haiti,"
the ousted Haitian leader told reporters shortly before leaving Jamaica.
Aristide said he remained in "deep communion" with the Haitian people and that
he stood in "solidarity" with all those affected by the heavy floods that have
killed almost 1,000 people during the last week.
He also offered thanks to Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson for his
country's hospitality and US Representative Maxine Waters of California, who
was with Aristide Sunday, for her support.
Aristide left power on February 29 and spent two weeks in the Central African
Republic, where he said he had been pushed from power by the United States
with French backing. Washington and Paris strongly denied the claims.
In mid-March, Patterson invited Aristide to his Caribbean island country for a
10-week visit with his daughters, who traveled there from the United States to
meet him.
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